Elgin boy, 5, killed in apparent gang shooting, police say

Gunshots fired into car in family's driveway

October 09, 2011|By Bridget Doyle, Tribune reporter

A memorial for Eric Galarza Jr., 5, sits infront of his home on the 900 block of Elma Avenue in Elgin on Saturday. Eric was fatally shot Friday night when gunshots were fired into a car, in which Eric was a passenger, that was backing out of the driveway. (Bridget Doyle, Chicago Tribune)

The car Eric Galarza Jr. was riding in with his parents and another relative was backing out of the driveway of their Elgin home when someone with a gun fired repeatedly at them, an apparent gang-related shooting that missed its target, police said Saturday.

Instead, Eric, 5, had been hit in the Friday evening attack and was fighting for his life in a gas station parking lot where his family pulled over to call 911 after they realized he was wounded.

A "funny little boy," whose world consisted of Cartoon Network shows and playing video games with cousins, Eric died a short time later in Sherman Hospital, his family said.

"I can't believe they took him away from us," his mother, Denisse Galarza, said, her voice hoarse while family and friends joined her near a memorial to her son in front of her house on Elma Avenue.

Elgin police Chief Jeff Swoboda said investigators believe the car was targeted, but would not provide details on a potential motive.

"Our whole department is working on this case," the chief said.

Records show that an Eric Galarza, 30, connected to the address where the shooting occurred has a long criminal history. In 2000, he was convicted on multiple counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and sentenced to nine years.

In June, he was charged with aggravated battery and is due in court on that case in November, records show. Elgin police would not comment.

Eric turned 5 in July, his grandmother Bianey Bahena said.

On Saturday, family members placed a school picture, candles, carnations and balloons reading "You Will Be Missed" in front of the home.

Relatives huddled around the memorial, crying and touching the boy's photo.

At one point, Bahena brought over the family Chihuahua to the photo, murmuring to it in Spanish and pointing to the image of the seemingly content boy with long wavy hair who wore a blue collared shirt.